Writing Center Services
The Writing Center offers a range of writing support services to Fordham students and instructors. For individual students, we offer both In-Person Tutoring Sessions, meaning that you will be physically present in one of our WCs and meet your tutor face-to-face; and Online Synchronous Tutoring Sessions, meaning you will have a one-on-one video chat over Zoom with your tutor at the time of your appointment. We encourage you to select the modality that best serves your schedule and needs. We also offer Group Appointments up to five students at a time for collaborative projects and Standing Appointments for students who wish to work recurrently with the same tutor. For instructors, we offer both online and in-person Classroom Visits to introduce WC services and Mini-Workshops tailored to the needs of individual teachers and classes.
How in-person appointments work: When you make an in-person appointment, you will report to the physical Writing Center location you signed up for online. Be sure when making in-person appointments that you are looking at the calendar for the location you wish to visit. When you visit us in person at either Walsh Library (RH) or Quinn Library (LC), you may bring a hard copy of your paper and assignment/prompt or digital versions.
How online synchronous appointments work: If you choose an online synchronous appointment, you will be speaking with one of our excellent tutors in real time via our online Writing Center system.
Please note that not all of our tutors facilitate online appointments, so if you wish to meet online, make sure to select the option “Yes. Schedule Online Appointment” under the “Meet Online?” heading in the appointment pop-up window. If the “Meet Online?” option does not appear in the appointment pop-up window, this means that the tutor only schedules in-person appointments. All students are welcome to make appointments with any tutor they choose, based on availability, regardless of home campus. If you are unable to find an online time slot at your home campus, you are welcome to check the schedule for the other campus.
To ensure a successful synchronous appointment, we ask that you take several steps. When you make your appointment, you have the option to upload your paper and assignment/prompt. You will be able to join your tutor via the online meeting system in your appointment box on our website. In other words, when your time approaches, log back in and click on your appointment box. In the pop-up window you'll see the following option: START OR JOIN ONLINE CONSULTATION. Click on that and a new window will open where you will be able to talk and see your tutor. When you join the meeting, please make sure your computer's speakers and camera are turned on. You and your tutor can then use video chat, paper upload, copy and paste, and other online functions to look at your paper together.
How online asynchronous appointments work: We are working to pilot an asynchronous tutoring program in Fall 2024. Please check back soon for more information!
How group appointments work: Groups consisting of five students or fewer are welcome to make group appointments. These appointments are intended for students working on group assignments. Please do not book group appointments if you are working on individual projects or papers. While booking the appointment please list all the attending students’ names in the appointment details section. Please ensure that all listed students are present at the in-person appointment. For special circumstances or requests, please contact the Writing Center email account at [email protected].
How standing appointments work: If you enjoy working with a particular tutor and wish to continue working with them you can choose to set up a standing appointment. At the end of your session, please email [email protected] with your recurring appointment request. Standing appointments help you maintain continuity and steadily work towards long term goals. They’re also helpful if you are working on a lengthier assignment that may take a few weeks to complete.
How classroom visits work: If you are an instructor who wants to inform your class about the Writing Center you can ask us to schedule a classroom visit. One of our tutors will visit your classroom and introduce the Writing Center and the services we offer to your students. To set up a class visit, please email the coordinator of the campus where you teach: Rose Hill coordinator Miles Smith ([email protected]) or Lincoln Center coordinator Hardik Yadav ([email protected]). In your email, please include your classroom location(s), preferred date(s) for a visit, and meeting time(s).
How mini-workshops work: If you are an instructor who wants your students to explore a writing-related topic you can ask us to conduct a mini-workshop. One of our tutors will visit your classroom and conduct a 15-30 minute workshop on a topic of your choice. Examples of possible topics include introductions, conclusions, paragraph structure, quotations, and thesis statements. Please note that workshops are subject to staffing availability. We also ask that the instructor be present for all in-class workshops. Please contact director Dr. Elisabeth Buck at [email protected] if you are interested in scheduling a workshop.